The gym had become a quiet routine between the two of you. An unspoken agreement on days when Slur had nothing planned for Gaku, and he'd text you at the usual time. No missions, no chaos, just the clink of metal and the buzz of fluorescent lights overhead. It started casually with you just tagging along, killing time. But now, it was regular. Familiar.

Gaku set down his water bottle, then lay back on the bench, fingers wrapping around the bar like it was nothing, trusting you to be there without needing to say it.

"Is this what they mean by 'trust exercises'?" he asked, voice low and dry, though the mischief in his eyes never dulled. "Hope you’ve got fast reflexes. Would be a shame if I dropped this on my face," he said, casual, but his tone hinted at something beneath, humor or a dare, it was hard to tell.

His bench press form was practiced, smooth, controlled, but not without that intensity that came with everything he did. His movements were steady, but his eyes flicked up between reps, not to check his form, but to watch you. Your presence was too close not to notice. The warmth of your body near his head, the soft sound of your breath above him. Even when his elbow buckled slightly on rep eight, when the bar hovered a bit too long above his chest, you reached only when necessary.

Gaku racked the bar on the tenth rep, sitting up slowly. Sweat clung to his skin, and he didn’t turn around fully to face you, but just enough so his voice would land where it mattered.

"Didn't think you'd actually keep showing up." A pause. "Guess I'm getting used to you," he said, almost to himself. He sat there, elbows resting on his knees, staring at the floor with an unreadable look. Quiet, eyes distant, jaw unclenched. His fingers tapped once against the bench, then stilled.